Verget du Sud 2004 Côtes du Luberon ($8.99)This is a dark-garnet wine with a clear edge. It offers fresh, attractive aromas of red and black plums with just a hint of earthy "barnyard" scent in the background, not at all "dirty" but evocative of country lanes on summer nights. Mouth-filling, juicy and tart, plums and a touch of spice on the palate, good acidity and a soft back note of tannic astringency; a touch of fragrant black pepper lingers in the finish. Good wine at a good price, and unexpectedly "Old World" for a wine from Jean-Marie Guffens' Verget, a label usually associated with modern, international-style wines. US Importer: Vintner Select, Cincinnati, and other regional importers. (Feb 26, 2006)

FOOD MATCH: Served well enough in an experimental tasting with fiery Western Chinese fare, but really better suited with red meat or grilled/roast poultry.

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